TALK IT UP TUESDAY: Trever Adamo [VIDEO]

0 Nov. 15, 2016, 3:12 p.m.

By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

Welcome to LiveRC's weekly column, "Talk-It-Up Tuesday!" Here we spend a little time talking with industry icons including racers, manufacturers, team managers, developers, promoters, and everyone in between! Sit back, relax, and go behind the scenes as we interview them all!

I remember meeting Trever Adamo back in the late-90s when we were both kids. Electric off-road racing was very competitive back then, especially in Southern California, and Trever scored the biggest win of his career in front of a few names you might recognize - like Ryan Cavalieri and Brent Thielke. It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I learned he was a big-time monster truck racing fan, though, and he even introduced his own RC monster truck chassis earlier this year called the SCMT Warpath. Learn more about Trever, his racing career, his monster trucks, and what he thinks about the state of the hobby in this week’s Talk It Up Tuesday. (Cover photo: Kevin Gahan, via Facebook)

Aaron Waldron: How old are you, and where are you from?

Trever Adamo: I am 36 years old, and I’m from Huntington Beach, CA.

AW: How did you get into RC, and how long have you been racing?

TA: I got cars to play around with at home. I’ve been racing for 23 years now.

AW: When did you decide to start taking racing more seriously, traveling to larger races and acquiring sponsors?

TA: I got my first sponsor in 1997 with Trinity/Team Kinwald.

AW: What do you currently do for work?

TA: I’m a shipping manager.

AW: Is it difficult finding time to commit to practicing and racing?

TA: Not so much - I have OCRC 3 miles from home.

AW: What’s your favorite track?

TA: They’re no longer open - MnM Hobbies in Corona, and West Coast RC Raceway in La Mirada. My current favorite tracks are OCRC and SDRC as I have not traveled much in some time. I cannot leave out the Torrance stadium where we run our RC Monster Trucks!

AW: Favorite big event?

TA: The Reedy Off-Road Race of Champions, Bari Musawwir’s 4-Link Nats, and the RC Monster Jam World Finals.

AW: Favorite racing classes?

TA: 1/10-scale 4WD buggy and 1/10-scale solid axle monster trucks.

AW: What are your most proud racing moments?

TA: The best was earning TQ and winning both open classes at the 2000 Reedy Race at MnM. Also, winning the 2010 O’Donnell Summer Championships at Revelation Raceway (Editor’s note: That’s the first podium photo in this article). Finally, entering my first monster truck race on carpet and taking second place at the 4-Link Nats with a prototype truck. There are many others, too!

AW: How has the industry changed since you first started racing?

TA: Too much to list! The durability of the cars now is a huge plus - not having to worry when you crash a car if you’re going to get to finish a race. Electronics have definitely been a big change, too - they require a lot less work now that we don’t have to cut the comm every 4-6 runs. The tracks are way different, too - what racers accept these days has changed a lot.

AW: Do you have any goals for your RC career?

TA: A few of my biggest goals have been accomplished - I’m very lucky to have won the Reedy race and having the respect and friendship of so many racers and manufacturers. Of course, I would love to pull off a few more big race wins - time will tell! Having a career in the RC industry would be nice after being involved for so many years.

AW: When you’re not at the racetrack, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

TA: Working on our drag car and Monster Trucks, building RC monster trucks, and building model trains! Hopefully, someday I’ll own my own monster truck to go racing - a full-size Hang Time!

AW: What’s the best part of RC racing?

TA: I just love racing RC and full-scale cars and winning. Also, spending time with friends - some of them I have known all my racing career so they are family.

AW: What about RC racing annoys or bothers you?

TA: Some off-road racers will only accept tracks that are always perfect - it’s off-road! Also, with so many “big” races now, it’s hard to compete at a high level on a reasonable budget.

AW: Who are some of the people that have helped you the most?

TA: At the beginning, my dad and mom made sure I had everything I ever needed to Compete. As things progressed, Randy Poh and Brian Kinwald - who I’m close frends with to this day - were the biggest help. Nowadays, the ones that still push me to my best are Randy and Colby Poh, Matt Schreffler, Robert Turner, Larry Turner, Joe Stanovich (owner of the original MnM Raceway), and Jason Corl for the Solidworks help on my monster truck chassis - the SCMT Warpath! I know there is many more and sorry if I did not get you in.

AW: Thanks for the interview! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

TA: Thank you for taking the time and asking me for the interview - I’m very much honored by it. I have to thank all my sponsors: Team Losi Racing, Pro-Line Racing, LRP, Spektrum, Horizon Hobby, MIP, Imagine It Graphics, So Cal RC Monster Trucks, and past sponsors Team Novak and Team Trinity. I’m looking forward to the 2017 Reedy Race and 2017 RC Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas next March, and the 2017 High Voltage 4-Link Nats. If you like RC monster trucks check them out - they are a blast! https://www.facebook.com/Socalrcmonsertrucks/